Quantum Space, a space infrastructure and services company, has announced plans to launch its first satellite called Scout-1 in March 2024. The satellite will be sent to sun synchronous low-Earth orbit and will serve as a sensor test for QuantumNet, a constellation aimed at providing customers with communication, navigation, and space situational awareness services in geostationary and cislunar space.
During the two-year Sentry mission, the Scout-1 satellite will track resident space objects and demonstrate communications between Quantum Space’s ground and space infrastructures. The company intends to refine its image-processing algorithms during this mission, starting on the ground and then moving them to space-based edge processors on future satellites.
Scout-1 Sentry will operate as a continual node over the next two years to refine and develop the architecture necessary for cislunar space. Quantum Space sees this mission as a stepping stone towards delivering a flexible and modern data and communications relay network.
The company acknowledges the increasing presence of commercial and government orbiters and landers in cislunar space in the coming years. Quantum Space aims to support deep space commerce, national security, and scientific exploration through partnerships with the U.S. Government and commercial innovators.
By achieving this key milestone, Quantum Space aims to show its investors that it is on track with its business plan. The company recently raised $15 million in a Series A investment round.
To facilitate the launch of Scout-1, Quantum Space has partnered with Reprise Space Systems LLC, which will provide mission integration services and its U.S.-built deployer, Equalizer. Scout-1 is designed to work with future Scout satellites and Ranger, Quantum Space’s spacecraft developed for operational capabilities in deep space.
Quantum Space’s goal is to unlock the full potential of GEO and cislunar space and help organizations leverage new innovations. The Sentry mission will provide valuable operational insights for their upcoming missions.